Analysing a Horror Thrilling Scene from I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

The Horror Thrilling Scene that I am going to analyse from the film I Know What You Did Last Summer starts from 8.44 - 9.40.

SOUND

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  Long Violin Notes – slow and very low in tone but still can hear it in the background. It creates a sense of suspense and mystery. The audience see that Helen has got away from the Fisherman Killer and is now safer than she was as she is now with her sister, however the music tells the audience other wise and says that it’s not over yet.

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  Music with a Lady Singing – its a calm and slow song, which confuses the audience as they expect something bad to happen even though the atmosphere does seem very tranquil. Sounds like its background music but soon afterwards the audience realise it’s actual the music being played in the store; Non-Diegetic Sound to Diegetic Sound.

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  Diegetic Sounds – of Elsa’s keys fumbling whilst she locks the door, Helen running up the stairs and Helen scrambling for the phone and dialling for the police, the shut of the door, Elsa walking towards the doors to lock them, sound of the Fisherman’s hook being drawn, Elsa’s scream and the sound of Elsa’s body slam against the window of the door when she gets slashed by the Fisherman’s Hook. All exaggerate the horror of what is happening in the scene and the murder of Elsa.

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  The Long Note - faded at first and gets louder and louder as its being played, as the Fisherman gets closer and closer to Elsa to end her life. This creates quick tension as the note gets louder really quickly. It gives the audience a sense of "it’s getting closer." Wants the audience to shout at Elsa “Look Behind You Before it’s Too Late!”

MISE EN SCENE

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  Pathetic Fallacy – The dark night outside sets the mood of the action that is about to happen. It creates the atmosphere of something sinister and ghastly is about to happen.

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  Inside the Store is Dimly Lit – The dimness of the store connotes the sinister side of the what can happen next or what will happen next. Hardly any light, so hardly anyone will see or suspect that anything bad is happening in the store.

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  The Store is full of Stuff –manikins, shelves, draws, cupboards, tables, chairs, just general furniture. It seems to be crammed inside the store. It gives loads of hiding places for anything “sinister” to hide behind, just like it gave the Killer Fisherman somewhere to hide whilst Elsa walks towards the door.

CAMERA WORK AND SHOTS

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  Zoom in – into keys as Elsa is locking the doors, to exaggerate to the audience that the sisters are locked inside the store and there is no way to get out. As later on in the scene, it becomes a barrier for Helen to get away from the Killer Fisherman.

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  Fast Tracking Shot – of Helen running up the stairs. This adds to the emergency of the situation that she is in and that there is no time to lose and she needs help as soon as possible.

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  Fast Left to Right Pan – from the door to Elsa. Shows the audience the door closing, suggesting that someone has come inside, but Elsa comes straight after so that she misses the door being closed and isn’t aware that there is someone in the room with her. Dramatic Irony; the audience know something the characters don’t. The audience knows that the Killer Fisherman is in the room but Elsa doesn't.

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  Tracking Shot – following Elsa walking into the room and walking towards the door to lock it. It leaves Elsa with her back turned to the camera and puts the audience in the eyes of the Killer Fisherman and puts Elsa in a position where she is very vulnerable as she can’t see the Fisherman behind her.

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  Slow Zoom – as Killer Fisherman gets closer. Creates the effect that the Fisherman is slowly creeping towards Elsa to murder her as the audience are still in the position of seeing the action through the Fisherman’s eyes.

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  Extreme Close Up – of Elsa’s eyes. The Extreme close up of Elsa’s eyes doesn’t only show the horror in her eyes but because Elsa is wearing a pair of glasses we see the reflection of the Killer Fisherman in her glasses getting ready to kill her with his hook. This adds to the horror as we can’t see the identity of the Killer Fisherman, as he is only a reflection to the audience.

EDITING

• Simple Cuts- are used to keep the film looking realistic. No fancy transitions are used as it will make the film less realistic and maybe even less horrifying for the audience to watch. The cuts are from seeing Helen and Elsa talking from the other side of the door, to Elsa locking the door, to Helen running up the stairs and dialling for the police.

• Fast Paced Editing – The editing is at a slightly faster pace than normal in the beginning of this scene to create the panic of Helen being chased by the Killer Fisherman. However, the editing becomes slower as the Killer Fisherman is getting closer to Elsa and then quickly changes to Fast Paced editing as Elsa sees her murderer and gets killed by him. This jolts the audience as they were first a little calm as Elsa walks around locking doors and the sudden change of pace scares and shocks the audiences as it is unexpected.